1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of computer science and, more particularly, to providing web services from an application server.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the Internet becomes increasingly pervasive in our daily lives, the use of software services, called Web services, within Internet-connected computing devices has increased in corresponding fashion. Web services, which are sometimes called application services, are services that are made available from a business's Web server for Web users or other Web-connected programs. Users can access web services directly from a central server or through a peer-to-peer arrangement. Some Web services can communicate with other services, thereby exchanging procedures and data with one another often with aid of a class of software known as middleware.
Web services used within a household can integrate the functions of communication devices such as a television, stereo system, telephony system, and computer in a user-friendly and user specific manner. It should be noted that Internet related services are not restricted to services that enhance browsing and file transfer using a computer, but can include any Web based service utilized by any device or service provider. For example, a Web service installed within a telecommunication switch can enable a variety of telephony features such as conversation transcription, language translation, voice messaging, voice Internet browsing, audible email retrieval, and the like. In another example, a Web service used in conjunction with Internet radio can permit a user's receiving device to time delay streamed radio content or to customize the stations, programs, and advertisements presented upon the receiving device in a user-specific manner.
One challenge that Web service providers currently have involves network security issues. Web servers can function across a multitude of open, trusted, and secure networks. The different users of a Web service can have vastly different security requirements. It can be highly inefficient to implement security requirements at the Web services level as such security can potentially limit the environments in which the Web services can be installed. Further, the development time and resulting cost can be significantly greater when security overhead is handled at the level of individual Web services.
One method used by service providers to bridge different networks involves the use of a gateway, such as a Parlay gateway. The Parlay gateway can be utilized by service providers as a “secure bridge” between untrusted networks, trusted networks, and secure networks. Conventional technologies, however, do not permit Web services to be provided in an open Internet environment when a Parlay gateway is involved.